Rabbling apparatus



Dec. 16, 1941.

IIIIIIIII/ P. H. BEITMAN RABBLING APPARATUS Filed July 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Dec. 16, 1941 'IT OFFICE.

ABBLING APPARATUS Paul H. Beitman, Poland, Ohio 7 A plic tion July 5,1939, Serial No. 282,919 4 Claims. (01. 26638) This invention relates to the art of open hearth furnace operation and more particularly to an improved apparatus for removing molten steel from holes in the) bottoms of such furnaces. During the running of a heat in the production of steel inthe open hearth furnace it frequently happens that a spot or portion of the bottom surface of the furnace will be disintegrated or boiled into theheat causing a depression or hole to, be formed inthe bottom of the furnace and whenthe heat is run off a quantity of the molten steel of the heat will remain in the hole thus formed. it isabsolutely necessary to remove this molten metal from thehole and repair the 'hole before the, furnace is charged for the next succeeding heat, as otherwise the hole'will increase in diameter during the next succeeding-heat and.

may possibly proceed to a point where a'through hole is formed in thebottom and the entire heat lost through the bottomof the furnace. V

The holes formed in the bottom of thefurnace will usually vary from-approximately one to five: feet in diameter and from fourto; eighteen inches:

in depth and may be incurred in any position about the bottom of the furnace. To remover'the molten steelfrom these holes preparatory to the repairing of thejbottom it has been common practice to employ :hand operated rabbling tools which consist 'ofa long bar "insertable through one ofthe doorsof the furnace and having at its-inner end a transverse plate so that upon longitudinal oscillation of the bar the plate will splashthe molten steel from the hole. This involves' arduous and tedious labor under disagreeablej conditions as the furnace heat'must be kept on-or even increased to maintain the steel in the holes in fluid condition and, since the workers operating the bar must remain quite close to the furnace, the conditions are-aggravated in situations where the hole *might'be positioned in a normally inaccessible place, as, adjacent the charging wall between two of .the cha'rgingdoors. Anotherserious objectionable characteristic of the;method now, usually employed'is the fact that-the plate or the end of the barimmediately adjacent the plate-frequently melts off rapidly,

requiring time consuming changing of the tools,

and in other situations themetal may build upso rapidly on the plate that its weight becomes,

such that it can not be readily manipulated; As

a consequence of the difiiculties encountered inf conditions are encountered, as a multiplicityof holes or a hole of large diameter, as long as 48 hours is often required to put the furnace into condition for the subsequent heat.

It is the primary object of my invention to reduce the time required to repair the bottom of the furnace for subsequent heats, which loss of time due to defective bottom is commonly termed bad bottom loss, and it is proposed to materially shorten this length of time by employing power means instead ofmanual means to rabble the molten steel from the holes in the bottom.- In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention it is proposed to accomplish the power rabbling by utilizing as much of the existing equipment associated with the furnace as possible in order not to complicate further the operation of the furnaces and, therefore, it is proposed to use the conventional charging machine tomanipulate and supply the power required in the operation of the rabblin device of; the present invention.

Various attempts have heretofore been made to utilize such apparatus for the rabbling out of r the molten metal from the bottom holes but, as

far as I am aware, none have been successful in practice. In the apparatus disclosed in my prior U. S. patent 2,022,334, dated November 26, 1935, and in the U. S. patent to Jamison, 1,942,553,

dated January 9, 1934, an arm is attached to the end of the peel of the charging machine to form a continuation thereof and pivotally attached to this arm is a downwardly extending blade or paddle, the lower end of which is intended to be placed in the molten steel in the hole and by rotating the peel to and fro the lower end of the paddle will move through an arc and tend to splash the molten metal from the hole. This prior apparatus has proven itself inadequate in I practice as its use does not permit the directing of the flow of the steel from the hole to the rear wall of the furnace where the tapping hole is located. Consequently, in case other holes or depressions were encountered in the bottom of the furnace the metal would often be splashed merely from one hole to the other and not diverted to the tap holeas required Also, it is not possible in the use of these prior devicesto effectively rabble out holes located in certain zones j of the bottom as, v for instance, a zone immediately in front of the tap hole or a zoneadjacent the charging wall and between two of thecharging doors. 7 I

It has also been proposed; asoutlined in U. S. Patent 1,332,973, to employ a metal walled'chamfurnaces ll].

ber carried by the end of the peel and having an apertured tapered lower end to fit down into the steel in the hole and having means to provide a vacuum in the chamber whereby the metal will be caused to be sucked up into the chamber and thus removed from the hole. This arrangement, however, involves a complicated apparatus and, as the metal has a tendency to freeze upon entering the chamber, it has been found to be impractical.

It is accordingly a more specific object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the purpose stated which overcomes the deficiencies of the devices heretofore employed for the purpose. This is accomplished, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, by utilizing a tool of novel design in connection with the peel of the charging machine, which tool enables the molten metal to be rabbled in the. direction of the tap hole, regardless of where the hole might be positioned in the bottom of the furnace.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification and the. accompanying drawings wherein there is specifically disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an open hearth plant lay-out utilizing the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken longitudinally through an open hearth furnace looking in direction of the charging doors and showing the use of the rabbling tool of the present invention;

Figure 4' is an enlarged side view of the tool of the present invention;

Figure 5 shows the tool of Figure 4 in crosscoupled position; and

Figure 6 is an end View of a portion of the tool of Figure 4-.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the plant! schematically shown consists essentially of a plurality of spaced longitudinally aligned'open hearth furnaces 10, a charging machine [I and a track $2 on which are adapted to travel the cars or buggies 13 to convey the material to be charged into the furnace from a stock room M. In accordance with the usual practice charging machine II is adapted to move parallel with the charging walls l5 of the furnaces H] on widely separated rails 16 and is provided with a universally movable peel I! for engaging charging boxes It brought out on the buggies l3 and move the same through the charging doors I!) of the As is well understood in the art, the peel l! is movable longitudinally into and out of the furnace and is mounted for rotational movement about its own axis and about the horizontal axis extending parallel with the rail I6 and passing through the body of the machine. Withthis arrangement it is possible for the peel to successively pick up the charging boxes l8, move the same 'into the furnace and then rotate them in order to deposit the metal scrap or other material in the boxes in the furnace after which the boxes may be withdrawn and repositioned on the buggies.

As indicated in Figure 2, the outer end of the peel I is provided with squared flange 20 and a longitudinally moving locking pin 2! which flange and locking pin are adapted to be received within a bayonet slot and a recess, respectively, in each of the charging boxes 18, whereby the latter may be immovably fastened to the end of the peel.

The improved rabbling tool of the present invention consists, in its preferred embodiment, of a bulbous ovoid member 25 preferably constructed of cast iron and provided with a hollow center 26. Member 25 may be carried by a shank 21 which is screw-thre'adedly received in an aperture in the upper end of the member and locked thereto by a lock nut 28. A passage 29 extending through the shank 21 is provided to vent the space within the member.

Shank 2'! is pivotally carried at its upper end by a pivot pin 30 spanning a pair of spaced parallel ears 3| extending outwardly and obliquely from an end of an arm 32, the other end of which i provided with a bayonet slot 33 and a recess 34 to receive the squared flange 23 and the locking pin 2i, respectively, of the peel of the charging machine. Ears 3 I are suitably fastened to the side walls of the bar 32, as by welding for example, and

- areso shaped that the axis of the pivot pin 30 is positioned a substantial distance outwardly from the end of the arm 32 and a substantial distance radially outward from the longitudinal axis of said arm. A thus constructed, the tool may be used either in a long coupled position, as shown in Figure 4, or in a short coupled position, as shown in Figure 5, where the ears 3! are moved from a depending to an upwardly extending position and the interval between the axis aforementioned and the lower end of the bulbous member 25 is materially shortened. When the tool is coupled as shown in Figure 5 movement of the arm 32 to the left will result in corresponding movement of the member 25 regardless of resistances encountered by the member 25. It should be obvious that in either position of the parts rotative movement of the arm 32 by the peel IT will result in rotative movement of the member 25 about the axis of the arm and peel.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, the dotted line position of the member 25 illustrates its relative position as it and the arm 32 is moved into. or withdrawn from the furnace l0 through the charging door IS). The indicated collapsed arrangement reduces the overall dimensions of the unit a sufficient amount to enable the unit to be moved in and out of the door opening without danger of injury to any part of the furnace. Upon insertion of the unit into the furnace rotation of the arm 32 by the peel l1 through approximately will position the pin 30 substantially vertically and, if the peel and arm 32 be then given a quick outer movement, member 25 will rotate about the pin 3!] in a substantially horizontal plane and, if such movement is approximately 90, subsequent rotational movement of the arm 32 back to its original position will cause the member 25' to fall to the position shown in full lines in Figure 2. It should, of course, be-obvious that if it is desired ornecessary touse the tool in its long coupled condition, as indicated in Figure 4, it is only necessary to rotate the arm 32 through after the col-' lapsed unit is inserted through the door opening l9, since this manipulation will cause the member 25 to move to 9. depending position, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3 indicates representative uses to which the tool described above might be put. If, for example, a hole 35 is encountered in the furnace might :be carried-:along. w'iththe tools in the bottom 36 immediately in-frorit of one of the door openings H], the tool in its short coupled condition may be employed to rabble the molten steel out'of the hole. In the use of the tool the bulbous member'25 is sunk in the hole and this in.

itself, due to the bulbous nature offthe member, will result in considerable of the molten steel being squeezed out of the hole and onto the normal inclined flowing surface of'the furnace bottom. If additional manipulation is required to splash and move the metal out of the hole, such may be accomplished byrapi dly'm'oving the member 25 in a direction toward-the rear or tapping wall of the furnace (see Figure 2), in which event the steel wil1-be caused to flow in such direction or by rotative or linear movement from side to side, in which event the'molten steel will be moved out of the hole onto the normal flowing surface at one or the other side of the hole. In the drawings, reference numeral 38 indicates the steel tap hole of the furnace.

If in the event a hole, as indicated at 31, which is positioned ubstantially midway between adjacent charging doors I9 is encountered the tool in its long coupled position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, may be employed and it should be obvious that the insertion of a portion of the bulbous member 25 in the hole or rapid movement thereof into and out of the hole will result in a considerable portion of the molten steel being squeezed or splashed out of the hole. Further manipulative treatment might be accomplished by movement of the peel and arm 32 linearly along the longitudinal axis of the furnace, thereby causing the molten steel remaining in the hole to be removed therefrom.

The present invention contemplates the alternative and selected use of two or more of the bulbous members 25 of different diameters and sizes, whereby holes of varying sizes, shapes and dispositions might be efiectively treated and it is proposed to support and transfer such members to the vicinity of the furnace being repaired by means of an additional buggy I3 placed at the head end of the series of buggies carrying the furnace charge from the stock house M to the furnace, which series of buggies is commonly termed a drag. In the normal operation of an open hearth plant it is common practice to load the drag with the proper quantities and proportions of steel scrap material of varying compositions to form a subsequent charge for one of the furnaces while a heat is being run in the furnace and to move the drag out to the furnace while the stated heat is being tapped off in order that the delay between successive heats be kept as short as possible. In the event that the furnace bottom is found to be in good condition the material is charged immediately and, in this instance, if the buggy containing the rabbling tools of the instant invention is incorporated in the drag, such buggy will be simply moved past the peel to enable the latter to pick up the boxes on the next succeeding buggy. If, however, a bad bottom caused by holes and ridges is encountered the tools to aid in the necessary repair are instantly available, being carried by the head end of the drag from which they may be readily picked up by the peel I! for manipulation in the furnace. This arrangement and procedure in the operation of the plant thus materially decreases the length of time required to recondition the bottom of the furnace preparatory to recharging. If desired, a tool of the kind disclosed in my prior United States patent, #2322334,

present :invention on .the leading buggy of the drag. Such a. tool isaindicated by: reference numeral tint-Figure 1 of the drawings.

" It shouldnow be apparent that I have provided an improved apparatus which accomplishes the objects initially set out. .By the use of simple apparatus in conjunction with certain of the existing essential ancillary equipment of the open hearth plant, it is possible tolremove molten steel lying in holes .in the hearth of thefurnaces in a comparatively short length of time and with a minimum oflabor regardless of the location of the holes in the hearths Thus the time required to repair thebottom's or hearths of the. furnaces for subsequent heats is materially reduced thereby eflecting economies'inthe operation of the plant. The .technique required in the proper manipulation of the apparatus for the effective practice of the invention is readily acquired by operators having sufiicient ability and skill to operate the furnace and the associated charging machine. The tool of the present invention in addition to its ability to remove molten material from the holes or depressions may also be used to push away or open ridges which sometime form on the bottom surface of the furnace and prevent the flow of all the steel out through the tap hole. It is also possible to utilize the tool for the purpose of forming new troughs in the bottom lining to aid in removing the steel from depressions in the bottom.

While I have shown the bulbous ovoid members 25 as being of hollow iron or steel construction, it should be obvious that other material may be employed for the purpose and that the members may not be hollow. For example, it is contemplated that the members may be constructed of wood impregnated with a suitable combustion resisting material to temporarily resist the consumption of the members by the heat existent in the furnaces.

The above specifically described embodiments of the invention should be considered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising an arm adapted to be attached to the end of an open hearth charging machine peel, a pivot pin extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said arm carried by said arm, said pivot pin spaced outwardly from the outer end of said arm both longitudinally and radially, a shank pivoted on said pin and adapted to extend either radially outward from said longitudinal axis or across the outer end of said arm and a bulbous member adapted to be partially received within a cavity in they hearth of a furnace carried by the end of said shank opposite said'pivot.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising an arm adapted to be attached to the end of an open hearth furnace charging machine peel, and a bulbous member carried by the end of said arm opposite said peel, said bulbous member being provided with a hollow center, and means to vent said hollow space comprising a passage.

extending from said space to a point substantially opposite the lower or outer end of said bulbous member.

3. Apparatus for removing molten metal from a cavity in the bottom of an open hearth furnace comprising a bulbous member having a generally semi-spherical lower end adapted to be at least partially received within saidlcavity, an upwardly extending member supporting said bulbous memher, a rigid arm adapted to be attached to a charging machine" peel ingeneral continuation thereof, a bracket extending laterally and longitudinally' outward ofzthe' free end-of said arm, a pivotal connection between the upper end of said upwardly extending member and the outer end of said bracket with the axis thereof extending at right angles to the principal axis of said arm and spaced therefrom, the arrangement being such that in one position of the parts said upwardly extending member overlies the free end of said arm and in an alternate position of the parts said upwardly extending member extends wholly outward of said arm and bracket whereby the operating interval between the principal axis of said arm and thegenerally semi-spherical end of said bulbous member may be varied.

4. Apparatus for removing molten metal. from" a cavity in the bottom of an open hearth furnace comprising a rigid arm adapted to be attached.

to the end of an open hearth charging machine peel in general continuation thereof a support secured to and depending downwardly from the freeend. of said arm,. a bulbous member having asubstantially semi-spherical bottom and an upwardly tapered upper portion supported in depending position by said support whereby rotation of said peel. and arm will swing said memher and longitudinal movement of said peel and arm will move said member linearly to rabble out metal from said cavity in a direction toward either end or toward the rear wall of said fur-- nace.

PAUL H. BEITMAN. 

